White Chocolate Raspberry Scones Without Buttermilk

What is slightly crispy on the outside, yet light, moist and buttery on the inside? A freshly baked scone! Learn how to make white chocolate raspberry scones with an easy basic scone recipe as your starting point. The pairing of white chocolate and raspberries is a great flavor combination in scones and truffles. White chocolate raspberry scones make a perfect addition to a Valentine tea party or any other tea party. No buttermilk? No problem! This easy white chocolate raspberry scones recipe includes a simple trick for making faux buttermilk for moist, delicious scones every time. Ready for the best recipe for white chocolate raspberry scones ever? Here’s the amazingly light, buttery white chocolate raspberry scones recipe, with some ideas for variations.

My White Chocolate Raspberry Scones Backstory

I found this basic scone recipe years ago in the FoodDay section of The Oregonian newspaper. The problem was it called for buttermilk, which I never buy. I made a few tweaks, then added some mix-ins. The basic scone recipe which I adapted is fine by itself, without any added goodies. I just like to have variety. Also, I’m trying to use up the leftover odds and ends from last summer’s fruit-drying sessions. This was a perfect way to do that. If you would like to read about drying fruit for recipes such as this, check out my food dehydrator tips.

White Chocolate Raspberry Scones Equipment

A measuring cup, mixing bowl and baking sheet are the basic supplies needed for this recipe. If you have a pastry blender, great, but you can also use a couple of butter knives to cut in the butter. My pastry blender is a vintage one made by Androck and is very sturdy. Here’s a heavy-duty pastry blender that is similar. A pastry blender is also terrific for quickly chopping hard-boiled eggs, as I mention in my favorite kitchen shortcuts.

Another tool that is handy to have is a spatula for removing the scones from the baking sheet when they are done.

Ingredients for White Chocolate Raspberry Scones

1 cup milk or buttermilk (if you have buttermilk, omit the lemon juice)

1 tablespoon lemon juice (bottled is fine) to make faux buttermilk

3 cups flour

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup firm butter (1 and 1/2 sticks, cut into chunks)

3/4 cup dried raspberries (fresh or frozen may be used as well, but will be more messy)

1 cup white chocolate chips

Directions for Easy White Chocolate Raspberry Scones

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet. Mix the lemon juice and the milk together to make faux buttermilk and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt until blended. Using a pastry blender or two butter knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the butter is about the size of small peas.

Stir in the raspberries and white chocolate chips.

Make a well in the center of the butter-flour mixture and add your faux buttermilk all at once. You may stir the mixture with a fork until the dough pulls away from the side of a bowl, if you wish. Since there are so many chunks of fruit and white chocolate chips in the mixture, I prefer to use my hands. This is when I am very glad to be using dried fruit. (Although, as I note below, frozen berries may be used.) After initially stirring the mixture with a fork, once the liquid has been absorbed, I turn and press the dough down into the bowl a few times. This gathers up all of the loose butter-flour mixture.

While the dough is still in the bowl, I divide it into four parts. I shape each part into a ball and place on a lightly floured board. I use an old bread board. Lightly pat each ball into a circle. Cut each circle into four parts and place the wedges on the prepared baking sheet. Yes, I know my baking sheet has been well-used.

Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Serve warm. I like to top mine with homemade raspberry blueberry jam. This recipe makes 16 scones.

Optional White Chocolate Drizzle

Since I had one more cup of white chocolate chips left from the bag I had opened, I decided to melt the chips in the microwave.

My goal was to drizzle the white chocolate over the scones to make them look fancy. One sad fact about me is that when I try to make something look fancy, I usually run into problems.

First, I put the white chocolate chips in the microwave for too long. I should have stopped after two forty-five second sessions. The white chocolate turned into a solid mass instead of melting further.

If this happens to you, just drizzle in some vegetable oil and stir. It works, I promise. I finally got the white chocolate back to a smooth consistency.

My next mistake was using a sandwich bag which was too flimsy to hold up to the melted white chocolate. I placed the melted white chocolate in a cheap fold-over sandwich bag and snipped off a corner. After drizzling the white chocolate onto just a few scones, the bag split. I squirted the rest of the white chocolate into a sturdier storage-type quart freezer bag, snipped off a corner, and had much more success. Here are the results of my attempt at fancy scone decoration. Yours will probably turn out much better if you try this.

Other White Chocolate Raspberry Scones Recipes

Of course, you may choose to just make the easy scone recipe without adding any extra ingredients. Other goodies I have added include dried blueberries or strawberries. I’ve also mixed in semi-sweet chocolate chips. You might discover other favorite combinations, like these decadent chocolate orange scones.

What About Using Frozen Berries?

Certainly, frozen berries may be used. I’m always trying to find ways to use frozen berries. Just bear in mind that frozen berries, especially frozen raspberries, are a bit messy to work with at times. Frozen berries would be a delicious addition to this recipe, though.

Frozen White Chocolate Raspberry Scones

If you would like to make this easy white chocolate raspberry scones recipe ahead of time, or you don’t want to bake all 16 scones, here is what you do. Make the recipe as usual, and get the scones cut into wedges. Place the scones that you want to freeze on parchment paper on a baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and place the tray in the freezer. Once scones are frozen solid, remove the tray from the freezer. Place frozen, unbaked scones in a heavy duty freezer bag and store until you are ready to bake them.

A Brief Note About the Pastry Blender

Years ago, in a second-hand store,  I happened upon a sturdy vintage pastry blender with a faded red wooden handle. The words “Androck Made in the U.S.A.” were engraved on the metal sides. I had never had a pastry blender before, so I eagerly put it to use. It was a wonder, and I even used it to chop hard boiled eggs, as noted in my kitchen shortcuts post. I was a little embarrassed by it’s worn appearance ( it was from the 1950s), so I purchased another, brand-new pastry blender. It broke after just a few uses. I returned to using my trusty little vintage pastry blender, and have never looked back. If you ever see a vintage Androck pastry blender, as long as the handle is fastened on securely, I encourage you to snap it up.

Where and When to Serve Scones

Scones are so versatile, they can be eaten at any time of the day. They are a delicious breakfast treat, and may be served as part of a breakfast buffet. These easy white chocolate raspberry scones may be served as part of a tea party menu alongside savory morsels like mini sausage rolls. They lend themselves well to many tea party themes, and look great on one of those tiered tea party trays. Have a scone for an afternoon or evening snack, along with a cup of your favorite hot beverage. For a delicious beverage option, you could serve the scones with tea or hot mulled cider (wassail).  Curl up with a cozy book if you like. There are many possibilities!

Common Scone Questions

Many people think that scones are too tricky or messy to make. Here are some common questions and answers to help make the scone-baking experience a joy.

What is the secret to making scones rise? 

In this recipe, the baking powder and baking soda are key ingredients that help to make freshly-baked scones light and fluffy on the inside.

Should you put egg in scones? 

This recipe does not call for them, which makes these scones ideal for someone on an egg-free diet.

Why are my scones not turning brown? 

400 degrees is the recommended temperature for this recipe, so make sure the oven is hot enough. Sometimes the scones take longer to turn brown than you might think. Be sure to leave them in the oven for at least the recommended 15 minutes. If scones are not done enough, they will be doughy on the inside and not as delicious.

What can I use instead of cream in scones? 

This recipe calls for buttermilk or faux buttermilk instead of cream, so it’s the perfect recipe for those who don’t have cream in their refrigerator. The choice between buttermilk and heavy cream will depend on personal preference and the desired end result. Some recipes may call for one over the other, but feel free to experiment to find the combination that works best for you.

What is the secret to making good scones?

The secret to making good scones is to use high-quality ingredients, handle the dough gently, and not over-mix it. Some tips for making good scones include:

Use cold butter: Cut the butter into small pieces and refrigerate it before using. This will help to create pockets of air in the scones, resulting in a tender and flaky texture.

Use a light hand: When mixing the ingredients, avoid over-working the dough. Over-mixing can result in dense, tough scones.

Use cold milk: Cold milk will help to keep the butter in the dough chilled, resulting in a tender and flaky texture.

Avoid over-baking: Scones should be baked until they are just lightly golden brown. Over-baking will result in dry and tough scones.

Experiment with ingredients: Try adding dried fruit, nuts, or spices to the dough for extra flavor, as in this recipe.

If you follow these tips, you should be able to make delicious and tender scones every time!

How do you make scones more moist?

Here are some tips to make scones more moist:

Use a moist dough: When mixing the dough, make sure that it is moist, but not too sticky. A moist dough will result in a moister scone.

Use a high-fat dairy product: Using a high-fat dairy product, such as heavy cream or buttermilk, in the dough will result in a moister scone.

Avoid over-baking: Over-baking can result in dry scones, so make sure to check on them frequently and remove them from the oven as soon as they are lightly golden brown.

By following these tips, you should be able to make scones that are tender and moist, with a delicious and flaky texture.

Why are my scones not light and fluffy?

There could be a few reasons why your scones are not light and fluffy:

Over-mixing the dough: Over-mixing the dough can result in tough and dense scones. It’s important to mix the ingredients just until they are combined, and not to over-work the dough.

Not using enough baking powder: Scones need baking powder to help them rise and become light and fluffy. Make sure to use enough baking powder, and check that it is fresh, as old baking powder may not work as well.

Not using cold ingredients: Using cold ingredients, such as butter and milk, will help to keep the scones light and tender. If the ingredients are not cold, the butter may melt too quickly in the oven, resulting in dense scones.

Over-baking: Over-baking can result in dry and tough scones. Make sure to remove the scones from the oven as soon as they are lightly golden brown.

Poorly shaped dough: Shaping the dough into a thick round can result in dense scones. Make sure to shape the dough into a thin, even layer for the best results.

By addressing these potential issues, you should be able to make scones that are light, fluffy, and tender.

Are You Now Craving Freshly Baked Easy White Chocolate Raspberry Scones?

Are freshly baked white chocolate raspberry scones calling your name? If you decide to try this chocolate orange scones recipe, I’d love to know how it turns out. Trying your own variation? Tag me on Instagram (lisa_fluxingwell) and I’ll mention it in my story. If you like to bake scones, you might want to try dark chocolate chip orange scones or glazed lemon blueberry scones. You could even add dried cranberries to this recipe to make white chocolate cranberry scones.

I hope you enjoy making white chocolate raspberry scones. May all of your baking endeavors meet with great success!

 

 

Lisa Mitchell is a wife, mom, and school librarian who likes to create and share recipes, often using fresh ingredients from her family’s small Pacific Northwest farm. For more delicious, easy recipes, click on over to the Food page.

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• Easy Blueberry Hand Pies
• Death by Chocolate Trifle
• Easy Chocolate Chip Raspberry Banana Bread

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